A notorious criminal was apprehended after committing several crimes. He was known for crimes. Often, he's always in and out of the police cell.  The straw that broke the Camel's back was when he murdered a popular philanthropist in cold blood when he wanted to dispossessed him of his belongings. He met his waterloo while trying to run away.

Police on patrol caught him and charged him to court. According to the law of the land, everyone knew he would be killed. They were only waiting for the day his judgement will be pronounced. The judgment day came and the whole town was waiting to hear the judge's verdict.

To the chagrin of everyone, the judge declared him innocent of all charges and justified him on the grounds that someone offered to pay the penalty for his crimes even unto death.  This came as a surprise to everyone. This notorious criminal was released and declared innocent. This story is an illustration  of what Justification is about.

Justification is an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ. Simply put, to justify is to declare righteous. In justification, God declares the sinner who believes in the atoning work of Christ as righteous.

The righteousness of Christ is imputed on him as though he has never sinned. In fact, he is declared not guilty before God regardless of his past.

When we all came to Christ, we all were declared to be righteous. Now, we can be called the righteousness of God in Christ:  "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God", (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). Hallelujah!!!

When you came to Christ, you were justified. God declared you innocent of your past sins. As far as God is concerned, those past sins do not exist in his record anymore. Why are you so bothered about your past thinking God hasn't forgiven you?

The righteousness of the new creation in Christ is not a filthy rag before God (Isa64:6) because the  righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us: "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ'( Rom5:17).

Don't let the devil preach the sermon of guilt and condemnation to you. Just like that criminal, God has declared you innocent through the death of Christ.